A Bet of Independence
by courtara
Summary: While celebrating the Fourth of July, Magnus and Alec make a little bet, with some interesting results. Wee bit of Sizzy and Clace. Two-shot
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Super random little drabble i plunked out to satisfy my malec needs. Not really sure when this takes place, maybe during Simon's training? I don't know you can decide ha. Enjoy!**

"Interesting."

Magnus turned his head. "What's interesting, love?"

Alec glanced at him and pursed his lips. "The fireworks."

Magnus smiled and tilted his head to look up at said fireworks. Shadowhunters don't celebrate The Fourth of July. There's really no reason for them to. Nephilim know they're independent and don't need a holiday to remind them, or celebrate it at least.

But Magnus always felt very drawn to this day. Maybe it was the sweet smells of various meats on the grill, or the noise makers and sparkles being waved around by all ages. Maybe it was the fireworks Alec had mentioned; bursts of all different colors exploding in the night sky. Magnus wasn't really sure. He looked back at his beloved blue eyed beauty sitting next to him, and the rest of their crew sprawled out across an array of blankets they hauled with them.

Clary and Simon were insistent on dragging them all out to see fireworks on the Fourth. They did it all the time when they were kids and wanted to bring everyone to experience it. So there they were, all six of them glamour free ("It's the Fourth of July, live a little", Clary had said), strewn across blankets in the middle of a park surrounded by mundane families and couples alike. Clary and Jace were leaning on each other on a red blanket, Clary sketching out the fireworks while also listening intently as Jace pointed out things in the sky. Izzy was laying on her stomach, her legs bent and lazily bouncing in the air as Simon went off somewhere to get hot dogs.

Alec's eyes were glossy as he watched the display in the sky. Magnus smiled at him adoringly and suddenly got a wistful look on his face just as Alec turned to look at him.

Alec furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you okay?", he asked slowly.

Magnus smiled again. "Yes, I just never thought I'd see myself laying on a blanket with my beloved watching fireworks." He nudged Alec's head with his own. "I've thought about it, never actually experienced it."

Blue eyes widened in amusement. "Oh really? You and Camille never got cozy on a rag and looked at explosives in the sky?"

Magnus snorted. "Please. Camille barely let me hold her hand." Alec laughed softly as Magnus lifted his head again. "What do you find interesting about fireworks, my beautiful one?"

Alec rolled his eyes lovingly and looked back at the sky. "I don't know. They're pretty I guess. Kind of overrated if you ask me." He looked over at his sister then back at Magnus just as the warlock conjured up two hamburgers in his hand. Alec rolled his eyes again.

Magnus cocked his head. "What?", he asked innocently.

The shadowhunter shook his head before resting it on Magnus' shoulder. "Nothing."

"Alec."

"Magnus."

Magnus sighed dramatically. "What is it?"

"Nothing!" Alec insisted as he sat up and looked at Magnus.

Magnus sent a blank stare at him. "Alexander Lightwood-"

Alec held his hands up defensively. " _Alright_. By the angel." He ran a hand through his hair and looked out over the field of people. "Sometimes I just wonder how well you would survive without magic."

Magnus pretended to look hurt as he said, "Um, _very_ well, thank you."

Alec gave a small smirk. "You sure about that?"

Magnus scrunched his face. "Of course I am."

"Really?"

"What are you getting at, dear?"

Alec paused for a moment before saying,"Okay. Then don't use magic. Starting now."

Magnus started smiling slowly and gave his boyfriend a playful eye. "Until when?"

Alec shrugged and mirrored Magnus' stare. "Just for the rest of the day."

The warlock put his hands together and stretched them out in front of him. "You underestimate me Alexander. This will be easy."

"We'll see," Alec taunted.

Magnus stopped and then looked at his beautiful boy's cocky expression. "What do I get if I win, hmm?", he asked with raised eyebrows. Alec's winning smile immediately went slack as he blushed and said, "I'll think about it."

Magnus smiled sneakily as he leaned in closer to him. "And what if you win?"

Alec turned to where their faces were inches apart, his face still burning red. "I'll think about it", Alec repeated. Magnus eyes widened. He leaned forward and they sealed their bet ('Was it a bet?', Magnus thought) with a kiss. Cat eyes closed slowly as Magnus hummed against Alec's lips.

Magnus loved Alec. So much. He loved that they had a relationship where they can have stupid competitions like this. He loved that they could sit on a blue striped blanket in the middle of a field and not have a care in the world as to what is going around them. He loved that they can challenge each other to such activities as to not use magic (Seriously, how many other couples can do that?)

Magnus loved his serious and adorably awkward Shadowhunter more than anything that's walked this earth in his lifetime. The fireworks booming around them as their lips moved was the closest the outside world would ever get to know what Magnus feels when he kisses Alec. Fireworks. Literal fireworks.

Magnus' hand came up to stroke Alec's cheek. Alec leaned into him as his own hand unconsciously found Magnus' knee and squeezed it. Before they could go any further, Jace dropped down behind the two of them and clapped both hands on their shoulders, jolting them apart.

"Well", Jace started amusingly, "isn't this a nice display?"

Magnus tensed with Jace's hand on his shoulder as Alec covered his face with both hands. "What do you _want_?"

"You're hogging my parabatai, warlock." Jace made a tsk tsk noise and shook his head. "You could share you know-"

Remembering he doesn't like this blonde nuisance - not even a little bit - Magnus swung his hand backward at an impressive speed and grabbed Jace's wrist still resting on his shoulder. He gripped tightly and shoved Jace's arm up towards his own shoulder before twisting it viciously, bringing Jace crashing to the ground. The blonde groaned loudly as he cradled his arm, sprawled out on the grass. "What the - _Ow_!"

Alec started stuttering as Izzy and Clary came rushing over to see what the commotion was about. "By the angel - what - _Magnus_!", Alec yelled.

Magnus blinked at him. "What? You said I couldn't use magic!"

His boyfriend gaped at him incredulously. "But you - I didn't - why - you're unbelievable." Alec looked over to see if his parabatai was okay. Clary was knelt beside him as he gingerly held his wrist and groaned, trying to sit up. Izzy came to sit next to Magnus, looking as if she was trying to hold back immense laughter.

"What the hell Magnus?", Izzy asked through a cracking smile. "What even was that?"

Magnus put a hand to his chest. "That my friends, was called a taco."

Alec and Izzy both gave unbelieving faces and said, "A what?"

"A taco", Magnus repeated, cat eyes gleaming.

Simon's voice cut in as he rejoined the group, hot dog in hand. "Did I hear tacos-?", he stopped short at Jace's writhing form on the ground. Simon blinked. "Dude, what did I miss?"

"Something spectacular," Izzy said."

Magnus leaned and have Alec a kiss on the cheek. "I think I'm going to win this bet, dearest. Do you have an idea for my winnings yet?"

Alec groaned before flopping down on the blanket, Magnus giddily going down with him.

Simon blinked again as he looked around the group. "But seriously, are there tacos?"

 **A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this! I had like a heart attack because I originally wrote that Izzy, Jace, and Alec had never seen fireworks but then remembered half way through that there were some at the end of Heavenly Fire I believe (and maybe City of Glass too?) so I had to alter a few things. Please review and let me know your thoughts I'd really love to hear them!**

 **Xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Woo! Decided to make this a two-shot. Little on the short side but whatcha gonna do haha. Hope you enjoy!**

It was late when they made it back to their apartment. Magnus sighed contently as they both flopped down on their red leather couch. Alec pulled Chairman Meow onto his lap and stroked his fur softly, looking fondly over at Magnus sprawled out. Exhausted from the days events, Magnus' cat eyes slipped closed and tilted his head back.

He stayed like this for a while, letting his body relax. Magnus lifted his hand to conjure up glasses of wine, but caught himself. _Dammit_ , the warlock thought. _That stupid bet_.

"Having some trouble there?", Alec piped up.

Green eyes lazily opened and fixed themselves on Alec. The shadowhunter sat there, a small smile on his face and an eyebrow raised.

"Not at all", Magnus replied. Which was a total lie. He was having a great amount of trouble. Magnus never realized how much he relied on magic until this ridiculous bet of there's. _Maybe I'm just lazy_ , Magnus pondered. He closed his eyes again, hoping Alec couldn't see the frustration on his face.

As Magnus slowly started to nod off, he had the sudden urge to kill something. He bitterly lifted his head to look at the bedazzled clock hanging on the wall. His whole face lit up when he read the time.

12:04 am.

Whipping his head towards the other end of the couch, Alec sat there with a book in his lap and looked totally not enthralled. Grinning, Magnus shot his hand forward and sent a spark of magic at Alec's rear. Alec yelped and snapped his head towards the snickering warlock.

"Magnus!", Alec yelled, clutching his ass. "Why did you do that?!"

Magnus smiled cheekily as he snapped his fingers and made those wine glasses finally appear in each of their hands. He sipped from it before replying, "The day is over dear. And I didn't use magic. So I believe that makes me the winner." Magnus looked up and wiggled his eyebrows at his boyfriends surprised face.

Alec groaned and gave his wine a murderous glare. "I guess so."

Putting his glass down on the coffee table, Magnus crawled his way across the couch to Alec. He plucked the wine glass out of Alec's hand, placing it on the table as well. Magnus brought his hands up and brushed the pads of his thumbs across Alec's cheeks.

Alec had a sour look on his face but it went away when Magnus pressed their lips together. Magnus pushed Alec gently so his back was against the arm of the couch. They stayed like that for a while, just kissing and loving each other, until Magnus remembered what made him so giddy in the first place.

He pulled back to look at Alec. "So, did you ever decide on what my winnings are darling?", he asked innocently.

Alec blushed as he met Magnus' eyes. "Well, I don't know, I guess - I mean -", he huffed and shook his head. "Well what do you want?"

Cat eyes gleaming, Magnus ran his finger down the side of Alec's face. When it got to his chin, Magnus lifted his face up to look him dead in the eye. Magnus brought their faces together and said against Alec's lips, "Oh, I could think of a few things."

 **A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this! Thank you to those who reviewed! Hands up if malec is life (waves hand frantically in your face) ha. Until next time!**

 **Xxx**


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